Definition of Cuban Revolution

The Cuban Revolution was an armed rebellion against the military regime of Fulgencio Batista. After a protracted guerrilla war, rebels led by Fidel Castro successfully seized power in 1959, ending U.S. dominance over Cuba's economy. Castro nationalized all property held by religious organizations, implemented radical social reforms, and established a Soviet-style agricultural policy. Land, businesses, and companies owned by upper- and middle-class Cubans were also nationalized. In 1961, the U.S. supported an unsuccessful attempt at a counter-revolution, known as the Bay of Pigs. One year later, the Cuban Missile Crisis, during which the USSR attempted to establish Cuba as a base for nuclear missiles, further damaged U.S.-Cuban relations. The U.S. imposed a long-standing economic embargo on Cuba, yet the regime survives to this day.